Gate latch



June 13, 1967 J. 5. CASE 3,325,204

GATE LATCH Filed March 16, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 0.00000 tofioxozozotv amw Q O Q Q IN VEN'TOR. John .5. Case ATTORNEY June 13, 1967 J. 5. CASE 3,325,204

GATE LATCH Filed March 16, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR. John .S. Guse Filed March 16, 1965 June 13, 1967 J, 5. CASE 3,325,204

GATE LATCH 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I: gll l IN VEN TOR. John 8. Case ATTORNEY J. 5. CASE June 13, 1967 GATE LATCH 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 16, 1965 HT! 56 fi m: 9171" III I N VENTOR. John .5. Case ATTORNEY United States Patent Jersey Filed Mar. 16, 1965, Ser. No. 440,183 3 Claims. (Cl. 292-202) This invention relates generally to latching mechanisms, and more particularly it pertains to a thumb-operated gate lock which is self-closing.

It is an object of this invention to provide a latching gate for a metallic fence which is easy to install with a minimum of tools, can be swung either right-handed or left, is self-closing and self-latching.

Another object of this invention is to provide a gate latch of few components which are very simply held in an interlocked assembly by two mounting screws.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a gate latch in which thumb pressure unlatches as well as pushes open the gate against closure force.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a gate latch which holds itself open when actuated and which trips itself into the closed condition upon the closing of the gate.

To provide a latch for a gate which can be padlocked, is yet another object of the invention.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent and understood from the following detailed specification and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a gate incorporating the self-closing gate latch mechanism of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section of the gate of FIG. 1 taken on line 2--2;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the elements of the gate latch of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 3 illustrating a captivating slot for the strike in the strike holder;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the gate latch taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 6 and showing it engaged with the fence post;

FIG. 6 is a side view of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a top sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but showing the open condition of the gate latch and in phantom, the closed condition thereof.

Referring now to the details of the invention, FIG. 1 depicts generally a latch 10, which is shown mounted on the side of a gate 12. The fence structure including the gate 12 is of the metallic type using rectangular posts and forming members. The gate 12 is hinged in a manner described more fully in my copending patent application, Ser. No. 385,399 filed July 27, 1964, now Patent No. 3,268,946, issued Aug. 30, 1966, entitled, Gate Hinge Support Clamp Device. By extending the hinge pin shown in the above patent application upwardly as well as downwardly to form a long pin 14, a coiled wire spring 16 can be mounted thereon having oppositely extended ends 18 to form a biased hinge 20 as shown. The top of the pin 14 is headed as shown by reference numeral 22 and the bottom end provided with a cotter pin 24 to captivate the spring 16 effectively.

Unless the gate 12 is very large usually but one biased hinge 20 is necessary, the other one 26 may be of the type referred to in the referenced patent application. In mounting the gate on the hinges, the extended spring ends 18 are oppositely wound a half turn each so as to bear always with force against the fence post 28 and the frame member 30 of the gate 12.

3,325,204 Patented June 13, 1967 The latch 10 is mounted on the gate .frame member 32 and cooperates with the gate post 34 in functioning as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. In the latched position of the latch 10, the sides of the post 34 are straddled by a pair of fingers 36 and 42 which are extensions of a large thumb lever 40 and a strike 44, respectively.

The large thumb lever 40 has a thumb rest 46 and a shaft 48 as best shown in FIG. 3. It is mounted on the gate 12 by drilling a hole through the frame member 32 and extending this shaft 48 therethrough. The far end of the shaft 48 is flattened to engage securely in a hole 52 of a small thumb handle 56 on the opposite side of the gate 12 with an axial bolt.

This handle 50 also has a thumb rest 54 but it incorporates a striker 56 which extends both upwardly and downwardly so as to be reversible, if desired.

The strike 44 has an anvil 58 which extends somewhat less than oppositely to its finger 42 as best shown in FIG. 7 and further is arranged for vertical pivoting with an integral shaft 60. A pair of stops 62 one on top and the other beneath (not shown) are formed in the strike 44 to limit its movement when it is nested in a recess 64 of a strike holder 66. This recess 64 is slotted at 68 to allow the strike 44 to swing about the shaft 60.

The strike holder 66 has a right angle abutment 70 so as to fit closely to the corner of the gate member 32. In this manner one-square headed bolt 72 passed therethrough as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 sutfices to secure the strike holder 66 in position just below the large thumb lever 40. It is to be noted that the head of bolt 72 also retains the shaft 60 in place as shown best in FIG. 7. The abutment 70 also has a shoulder 74 against which the previously mentioned stops 62 strike to limit the pivotal movement of the striker 44.

The gate latch 10 may be operated from either side of the gate by pressing with the thumb on either thumb rest 46 or 54 since they rotate together. This action lifts first the finger 36 away from the post 34 and as the small thumb lever moves downwardly its striker 56 engages the anvil 58. This causes the strike 44 to pivot and its finger 42 moves in the direction of the arrow to nudge the post 34 and swing the gate 12 toward the viewer as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7.

With the gate 12 open, the latch 10 is in the condition shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. It is to be noted the thumb levers 40 and 50 are beyond dead center and tend to remain there. When the gate 12 swings back in closing under the urging of the biased hinge 20 the finger 42 strikes against the post and pivots the strike 44 back so that the anvil 58 knocks against striker 56 and throws the assembly of thumb levers 4t and 50 back into the latch position of FIG. 6.

The small thumb lever 50 has an apertured arm 76 which registers with a similar apertured arm 78 of the strike holder 66. A padlock may be thus placed on the latch 10 if desired. The latter arm 78 is provided both upwardly as well as downwardly from the strike holder 66 so this item is reversible for mounting on either right or left-handed swing gates.

Further, this arm 78 carries a projection 79 (also in reversed duplication) to act as a stop for the apertured arm 76 to prevent finger 36 from dropping beyond hori- Zontal when the gate is closed.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A mechanism for latching a gate to a post member, comprising a first finger extending along one side of said post member and mounted to the corresponding side of said gate to vertically pivot clear of said post member to permit opening of said gate, handle means positioned on the opposite side of said gate for vertical pivoting with said first finger, said handle means having a striker which pivots therewith, and a second finger extending along the opposite side of said post member and horizontally pivotally mounted to said opposite side of said gate, said second finger having an anvil for being struck by said striker to pivot said second finger into said post member when said first finger is clear thereof, thereby opening said gate.

2. The mechanism as recited in claim 1 wherein said first finger is pivoted over center before said striker strikes said anvil.

3. The mechanism as recited in claim 1 wherein said anvil extends outwardly from said gate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Randall 292-332 X Dodge a- 292-236 Johnson 292-336 Perkins 292-332 X Hoover 292-216 Crampton 292-336 Crampton 292-332 Thompson 292-332 X Totty.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner. 15

RICHARD E. MOORE, Examiner. 

1. A MECHANISM FOR LATCHING A GATE TO A POST MEMBER, COMPRISING A FIRST FINGER EXTENDING ALONG ONE SIDE OF SAID POST MEMBER AND MOUNTED TO THE CORRESPONDING SIDE OF SAID GATE TO VERTICALLY PIVOT CLEAR OF SAID POST MEMBER TO PERMIT OPENING OF SAID GATE, HANDLE MEANS POSITIONED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID GATE FOR VERTICAL PIVOTING WITH SAID FIRST FINGER, SAID HANDLE MEANS HAVING A STRIKER WHICH PIVOTS THEREWITH, SAID A SECOND FINGER EXTENDING ALONG THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID POST MEMBER AND HORIZONTALLY PIVOTALLY MOUNTED TO SAID OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID GATE, SAID SECOND FINGER HAVING AN ANVIL FOR BEING STRUCK BY SAID STRIKER TO PIVOT SAID SECOND FINGER INTO SAID POST MEMBER WHEN SAID FIRST FINGER IS CLEAR THEREOF, THEREBY OPENING SAID GATE. 